9-26 Second Anchorage, across Olmstead new lock and dam

We let with Barefoot'n after the fog lifted and not more than a mile down the river we ran into a wall of thick fog. We were hoping that the fog was in a small section of the river, but that was not the case.  Ken kept a close eye on the radar and we prayed that we did not encounter any barges.  After traveling for more than an hour in the soup, it finally lifted and it turned out to be a beautiful calm sunny day. Soon we saw the Canadians behind us and we increased the speed with the mighty Mississippi pushing us along.
We came to the junction where two mighty rivers meet, the Mississippi and the Ohio, and  we made a port turn onto the Ohio River. While passing Cairo, IL we encountered a lot of barge traffic and
industry sights.  Lock 53 the wickets were down and we passed over the dam itself. However at lock 52 we had to wait for over 2 1/2 hours because one chamber was closed and the commercial traffic was backed up. We anchored across the construction from the Olmsted Lock and Dam and we were well out of the channel and current and we anchored in 11 feet of water.  Since we did not have a generator to cool down the salon we had a picnic on the bow.  With a glass of wine and spinach salad with beets and smoked fish from Leland, MI, we had a feast.   We tried to conserve energy   in order for the batteries to have enough juice to fire up the boat engines in the morning.  With our port holes opened we had a comfortable night on the Mississippi River.  After traveling 98 miles we were ready to crash.

Leaving our anchorage behind the wing dam at mile marker 78 we encountered a swift current
on the mighty Mississippi.

We got caught in the fog for over an hour, thank goodness for radar!

 

Fog lifting!

 

Leaving the Mississippi River crossing under the Cairo Fixed Bridge.

Entering the Ohio River  approaching the Cairo fixed bridge.

Anchored out of the Ohio River channel and across from the construction site of the Olmstead Lock and Dam at mile marker 964, proved to be a good anchorage.
We found  10 foot of water and 4 Loopers dropped the hook.